Beauty
by TopazSunshine
Summary: Love doesn't need to be perfect. –RubySapphire


Beauty

(beauty is a light in the heart.)

* * *

He was painting again.

Sapphire sat perched on Ruby's bed, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the red duvet as she watched her companion blend paints together expertly. Peering around the boy's thin frame, she studied his latest portrait carefully, her forehead creased in concentration.

"Don't do that," Ruby said with a grin as he tapped her forehead with the end of his paintbrush. "You might get frown lines."

Sapphire rolled her eyes and jerked away from the paintbrush. Even after knowing him for five years, she still wasn't used to him spouting beauty advice every once in a while.

"Anyway," Sapphire said, ignoring his previous 'advice'. "Isn't this your third portrait of Yellow?"

"It's my fifth, actually," Ruby corrected as he turned his attention back to the unfinished picture.

The room fell silent again, and Sapphire couldn't help but wonder about his other pictures. Ever since Yellow had showed him art techniques, he had lost no time in painting all the female dex holders' portraits.

Well, all except for hers.

She didn't get it. Ruby had approached all the girls, from the eldest senior Blue, to even their latest junior Platinum. But even though she spent almost all her time with him, not once had he offered to paint her picture.

* * *

"Hey Sapphire?"

Sapphire jumped at the sound of his voice. Shaking herself out of her reverie, she realised that Ruby had finished the portrait and was in the midst of packing up his paints and brushes.

"Is there something on your mind?" Ruby asked, pausing his packing to smile at her.

She shifted uncomfortably, her fingers twisting the fabric of his duvet once again.

She was torn. Should she tell him how she felt about him painting portraits of other girls? It was a simple question, but it made her feel like one of those whiny girls who constantly clung to their boyfriends, wailing about broken nails and bad hair days.

Or she could just pretend that everything was alright and just pass of her thoughts as a sign of jealousy that her best friend was showing more attention towards other girls.

Either way, if she didn't do anything soon, his duvet would be torn in half from the force she was using to twist the fabric.

* * *

"Come on, you can tell me."

He had completely stopped packing his art supplies, and was now sitting on a chair across her, his eyes carrying a hint of concern.

"Well..."

He motioned for her to continue, before returning to packing up the assortment of brushes.

"Why don't you ever paint me?"

* * *

Arceus, she _did _sound like a whiny teenager.

_But there was no turning back now_, Sapphire mentally wailed. She hadn't meant to phrase it like that, it just sort of _slipped_. Quietly, she stole a glance at him, hoping to meet his gaze, but he was still facing away from her, his hands still arranging the tubes of paints neatly into their box.

Maybe she could fix it, she mused, and started flapping her hands about, trying to think of something, anything, that could relieve the tense atmosphere.

Just when she thinks that she is composed and ready to talk again, Ruby suddenly stops his packing.

"Because, I only paint beauty."

* * *

Well, _ouch_.

Although she and Ruby screeched insults at each other day after day, those five words stung much more than any other comeback that he had lashed out at her.

Sapphire inhales sharply through her nose and lowers her head, her gaze shifting from the back of his head to the floor.

She had two options now. She could either beat him to a pulp and leave him with a broken jaw or worse, or she could leave and head downstairs and devour the entire fridge's supply of ice-cream to distract her from her misery.

The first option was tempting, but Sapphire feels that she's embarrassed herself enough already.

* * *

Just as she's about to stand up and leave the room, Ruby's hand reaches out and grabs her own, his calloused fingers gently intertwining with hers.

The other hand is under her chin, tilting her head up so she can stare into his twinkling scarlet eyes.

"Not perfection."

* * *

_AN:  
_

_*dances* Look who's back on FF! Yep, my exams finished on the 8th of November, and I'm finally free! Hehe, but now, I'm kinda addicted to playing Pokemon Nuzlocke with my Platinum. I don't know when I'll upload another story, cos I'm competing with my brother, DiamondGigas, to see who can defeat the champion first XD Anyway, thank you all, for waiting so patiently for me to return! I hope you guys enjoyed this little drabble!_


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